Chicago Marathon Update - Tracking Information

The marathon is only 2 days away (Sunday 10/10/10).  I arrived in this afternoon in Chicago and drove up to Kenosha to stay with my mom (where I grew up).  I had dinner with my friend TM, which was great. 

I tapered this week, only running 3 days - Tuesday (3 miles), Wednesday (4 miles), and Thursday (2 miles).  I decided to take today and tomorrow off to rest.   All week, I felt sore during my taper, which is normal as my body was repairing the damage done from 16 weeks of marathon training.  The soreness shows that my body is healing, that my muscles are repairing themselves.  On top of that, I have been "carb loading" all week, so I feel heavy and slow.  Overall, I feel ready ready to go.  My right knee is a little sore, but I don't think it will slow me down.  I caught a cold earlier in the week (and had some wheezing in my lungs) plus I had a mild Crohn's flare-up this week, but I feel good now.   

The forecast for the start of the race (7:30 A.M. Central Time) is for it to be sunny and around 60-63 degrees, with the high going up to the low 80s.  Hopefully it will stay in the 60s and low 70s while I run and humidity will stay low.  Ideally, I was hoping for temps in the 50s.

Chicago Marathon 2010 Tracker

If you would like to track me during the marathon, you can do so at:

http://www.textinterface.com/pls/text/TF_BACM_DT

Just type in Balcom or my bib number (8779) and you can sign up to get text messages that will be texted to you during my race at various points (and this will also include my average pace per mile).  I haven't figured out how one can sign up for email updates or how one can follow me on the computer. If anybody figures that out, let me know.

Something that made me laugh...

On my way to Chicago I read something in the USA Today that made me laugh out loud.  I am a big Chicago Bulls fan and was a huge Michael Jordan fan.  The article is called "Be Like Mike in NBA 2K11".  The article asks "How would Michael Jordan have fared had he played in the NBA in the era of no hand checking and zone defense?"  "It would have been feast or famine" said Jordan.  "The current game is less physical and the rules have changed, obviously.  Based on these rules, if I had to play with my style of play, I'm pretty sure I would have fouled out, or I would have been at the free-throw line pretty often and I could have scored 100 points".

Cool Asics New York Marathon Ads

The other day, I saw a couple of cool posters in the subway.  Asics ads for the upcoming New York City Marathon.  I have included them below.  I think it is very cool that the woman in the picture is wearing headphones while running.  Most refreshing, as I love listening to music when I run.  Let the debating begin....




Look closely to see her headphones on....